Temperature-regulator.



W. M. FULTON.

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILED 1111111.18, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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TEMPERATURE REGULATOR. v APPLICATION FILED HAE. 18, 1909.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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TEMPERATURE REGULATOR. APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 1a, 1909.

987,712., i l Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

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.narran sfrafrns jNIESTON M. FULTON, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO THE FULTON COMPANY, OF vKNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

f 'TEMPERATURE-REGULATOR, v

specific-anun ofptettersratent. Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application led March 18,1909. lSeria1 210.1184373.

Be it known that I, WESTON M. FULTON, of Knoxville, Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Temperature-Regulators, w ichk invention is fully set forth in the follovvingspecification- This invention relates to temperature regulators, that is, to that class of devices `de signe-d tuo be affected by the temperature of gas, liquid or other fluld, and as theexample, when located in a room of a dwell-- ing, it should not be large and conspicuous. It has heretofore been proposed to employT expansible and collapsible vessels of metal,v c in devices of this character, as the medium for effecting the movements which control r the source of heat, as for example, a furnace,

(through its damper)l Generally, a suitable fluid is inclosed Within the metallic expansible and collapsible vessel, and the expansion orcontractionof the vessel, and consequently the movements .of the devices for controlling the source of heat, are designed to be in exact accordance with the expansion or contractionv of't-he iuid confined Within the expansible or collapsible vessel. I have found, however, when .metallic'vessels are used (and such vessels as constructed by me are far superior to vessels of any nonmetallic substance) as the expansible and collapsible element, that the movement of the parts is materially affected by reason of the resiliency of the metal constituting the expansible and collapsible vessel, and are not dependent alone upon the expansion or contraction of the iiuid Within the vessel due to the changes in temperature. Moreover, I have found that it' is desirable to place such vessels under initial compression by the'use of a suitable tension device, as a spring, and that the movements of the parts are more or readily operate the 'less aected by the resiliency of the spring or other tension device employed.

The object of the present invention is to .provide a temperature regulator Which shall be sensitive to slightv variations in temperature; which shall impart movements to the temperature-controlling apparatus in pro--v .portion tothe expansion and contraction of a suitable fluid sensitive to changes in temperature; which shall neutralize the resiliency of the metallic vessel in which said fluid is contained, as Well as the resiliency of the tension device employed for .placing the same under tension; and which shall be compact; and notwithstanding its sensitiveness and delicacy of operation, shall nevertheless bc powerful and efficient.

j If a body is exposed to changes lin temiperature, the rate at Which it Will be aected by such changes is dependent upon its physi- -cal properties, such as its mass', the area of its exposed surfaces, the nature of the material constitut-ingthe exposed surface, its specific heat, conductivity for heat, etc., and in the present invention I therefore employ a thermo-sensitive device in the form of'an expansible and collapsible vessel, composed f a suitable metal,l such as brass.` This vessel is so constructed as to expose a' surface of great area, While the mass of the metal embodied 'in the vessel is very small. This is accomplished by making the Walls quite thin, and by 'forming very deep, heavy corrugations therein, so that a very small amount of metal will present an extended surface to the air or other medium conveying the changes in temperature. I select a metal having great heat conductivity,such as brass, mentioned above, and I inclose in such vessel thevapor of a liquid whose specific heat and latentheat of vaporiZa-tion are low; whose vapor tension varies at an approximately.

uniform rate Within the limits of operation of the regulator, say from to 800 F.; and which is chemically neutral toward the materials of which the vessel is composed, so as to avoid any chemical action on the interior wall of the vessel. I have discovered that ethyl chlorid possesses these very desirable qualities to a high degree, and hence that the vapors of ethyl chlorid are particularly adapted for use in regulators constructed according to the present invention.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which drawingsp Figure l 1s a perspective view of the regulator; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail of a yoke.

employed to transmit power from the thermo-sensitive vessel to the point where the power is to be applied; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side elevation, with parts broken away to show the construction; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the yoke shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of applying the regulator to the damper of a furnace to control the combustion therein.

Referring to the drawings, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the thermosensitive portion of the regulator consists of a thin, iexible, deeply corrugated sheet metal wall 1, preferably of brass or copper,

closed at each end by the thin metal walls 2 and 3, 4which are also preferably of brass or copper. The wall 2 is preferably made concave, so as to possess maximum strength with minimum thickness. Within the vessel, and as herein shown supported upon the end wall 2, are tubular posts 4, 4, preferably secured together at their upper ends by a thin strip 5, the proportion of the parts being such as to limit the collapse of the flexible wall 1 by reason of the contact of the end wall 3 with posts 4, 4, when the vessel has collapsed to a predetermined point. A suitable volatile liquid, such as ethyl chlorid, is introduced into the expansible and collapsible vessel through the tube 6 (Fig. 3), after which the tube is closed in any suitable manner, as by means of plug 7, thereby confining the liquid and its vapor in the collapsible and expansible vessel.

As thus constructed, the. ex ansible and collapsible vessel possesses the ollowing desirable qualities: First, the convolutions .thereof give a large surface area condensed into a small space. Secondly, the shape of the wall gives maximum strength, to the end that it may withstand the pressure ex-` erted by the vapor of the confined liquid, which maximum strength is obtained while employing a minimum mass of material to construct the vessel, since by reason of the deep corrugations, Very-thin metal can be used in its construction without danger of rupture. Thirdly, the thinness of the wall of the vessel permits a rapid exchange of heat by conduction between the gas or liquid to which the vessel may b'e.. exposed on the outside and the volatile liquid on the inside thereof. Fourthly, since all the walls of the vessel are made of a vI netalv having high conductivity for heat, the 7ensitiveness of the vessel to variations in tem-,A

upper ends pass through the sheet metalcasing 11, and have their ends burred out, so that they are securely fastened t0 the casing 11. These hollow studs 12 serve to connect the casting l0 to the expansible and collapsible vessel, while at the same time very largely insulating the casting from the vessel, so that there .is no ready conduction of heat from one to the other. The casting 10 constitutes a head-piece upon which rests one end or" the spring 13, and at each end of said head-piece 10 there is an upwardly projecting rod 14 extending through an opening 15 in the casting 8, and carrying on its upper end the cross-bar 16 of a length greater than the diameter of the hole 15 in the casting 8. These crossbars 1G afford an additional means, exterior to the expansible and collapsible vessel, to limit the collapse thereof to a predetermined point, since -when the vessel has collapsed to the point desired, the cross-bars 16 will contactwith the casting 8 and prevent the further collapse of the vessel. The limit of the expansion of the expansible and collapsible vessel is reachedV when the head-v piece 10 contacts with the under-surface of the casting 8 (see Fig. 3). lt will thus be seen that the range of expansion and contraction of the vessel is confined within certain definite limits, and that no material exchange of heat can take place between the collapsible and expansible vessel and the head-piece 10. This latter is desirable because of the fact that the head-piece 10y having a greater mass than the wall 3 of the expansible -and collapsible vessel,

tends to lag behind the changes of tem-- perature to which the regulator may be exposed, and if it were not thus insulated from the vessel, it would render the action of the latter sluggish in its response to temperature changes.

Mounted on the casting 8 is the yoke 17,

which serves as a guide for a follow-block 18, which has parts cut away, as at 19, Fig. 1, so as to embrace` the yoke on opposite sides and move freely up and down thereon. This follow-block has a female screwas for example, a ball bearing 23.-. rIhe upper portion of the yoke 17 4has a central perforation through which the reduced upper end of the screw 21 passes, and the projecting'exte'rior end thereof is squared, as

shown at 24, to receive a key 25, by means of which thev screw may be turned. The

.follow-block 18 rests uponthevupper end of the spring 13, and it will be readily understood that by turning the screw, the ten-v -sion of the spring upon the head-piece 10, .and hence upon .the expansible and -collapsible vessel, may vbe readily adjusted. For

`the purpose of preventing the screw from being run out of the follow-block, the lower end thereof is rovided with a suitable enlargement, as orl example', a'large-headed screw 2G screwed into the end ofthe screw -21. A lever `27 is pivoted at 28 to the yca stlng 8, and to its upper end issecured one end Yof' a spring 2 9, the other end of which'is secured to the arm 30 projecting upward from the casting '8 to which it is rigidly secured, the connection between the Vspring 29 and the arm 30 being by mean'sof a, nut 31 secured'tothe end of the spring, and a screw 32 passing through the arm 30 and into the nut 31, so that the tension of the spring 29 may be thereby adjusted.'

Projecting from' and rigidly secured t0 the casting 8 on one side 'thereof is a post 33 (Figs. 4'and 5)', and 34 is a yoke, one of whose arms is pivoted to thepost 33, as at 35, so that the yoke is hung on that side to turn on said pivot 35. the opposite side, the yoke is supported by means Vof-a lmifefedge-36, also rigidly supported from the casting 8, which knifeedge takes into a groove 37 in the yoke 34, and opposing the knife-edge 36 is a bar 38 having one knife-edge 39 taking into a groove 40 in the yoke, and another knife-edge 41 taking into a groove 42 in the 'side of the pivoted lever 27, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the yoke on that side may turn between the knife-cdges36 and 39, and the parts all held in position by the tension 'of the spring 29, which holds the lever 27 rmly up against the bar 38.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, 43, 43, are screw-threaded rods secured aty their lower ends to the opposite sides of the head-piece the nuts 44and at their extreme outer ends arms of the yoke 34.

that when the thermo-sensitive vessel exp ands, the screws 43, 43, transmit the tension by way of the knife-edges 47, 47, to ,the yoke 34, rocking it on the pivot 35-,on

and 39 on the other side; and when said lvessel collapses, the yoke'is caused to rock in the opposite direction. Moreover, the con; struction described is such as to cause the spring 29, acting through the lever 27, to neutralize the resilience of thel flexible wall 1, and also the resilience of the spring 13, 'as will be more fully pointed out-later on.

Attached to the yoke 34' is an arm 48, which partakes of the oscillations of tne yoke 34, and throughl which the movements of expansion and contraction of the expansible and collapsible vessel mayy be utilized to control the source of heat, as for examopening or closing the vdampers 50 and 51. This iseiiected by attaching a 'lever 52, pivoted at 53, to the two dempers by suitable connections, as chains 54, 55, the proper operation of the parts being controlled by adjustableyweights 56, 56., Attached to the lever 48 on the regulatoris. a cable 57, which -is conducted over suitable pulleys 58 and 59 to the lever 52, towhich it is attached at 60. It will be'- readily understood that an elevation'ofthev lever 48 will effect a pull on the cable 57, thereby effecting a greater or less closure of the damper 50 reverse movement of thelever arm 48V there will. be a greater or less closing of the damper 51 and opening of the damper 50.

holder, "upon which there is mounted in any suitable way, as'by slidingin the grooved ways 62 and 63, a card or other device 64, having marked thereon a scale, as clearly shown in saidFig. 1. 1n this instance the scale indicates variations in degrees from 60,"` F. to 80 F. The follower block 18 (see Fie. 1) has an arm 65 Lin which engages the redlced end 66' of a lever 67, pivoted at 68 to the framework of the machine, and passing beyond the plate .61. Secured to said lever 67 at 69 is an index finger 70, operating in conjunction with the scale on the card 64. The parts of this index-finder and-scale are so arranged that they will indicate the amount of compression of the 'spring 13, and hence the amount of tension upon the expansible and collapsible vessel.

. V`The parts being constructed and assembled as above described,'the operation 1s as follows V: 'llhe expansible and collapsible ves sel is filled with the vapors of va suitable volsaid screws bear against knife-edges 47 pro- I jectmg outward from the outer sides of the ple, tocontrol the furnace 49, Fig. 6 ,vb'y' From this construct-1011, it will be seen vone side, andvbetween theVA knife-edges 36 Y Referring to Fig. .1, 61 is a suitable index- I and opening of the damper 51, and upon a 40 mitting a correspondinY movement to the.

sumed that the device is being used, for

example, for controlling the temperature of a room, and maintaining the`- same substantially at 70 F., the key 25 iis operated to turn the screw 21 and compress the spring` 13, and thus'apply tensionl to the ex ans'ible and collapsible vessel, until the mdicator-nger 70 points to 70 on the scale, as shown in Fig. 1. At this point, the tension of the spring 13, acting through the headplate 10, and hollow insulating studs 12 against the wall 3 of the eX ansible and collapsible vessel, is just sutlicient to overcome thel tension of the vapor of the volatile liquid within the vessel, which is tending to 1 force the wall 3 outward against-the spring 13. If now,fthe-temperature 1n the room where the relgulator is located rises slightly above 70o heat is quickly conducted through the thin walls of the vessel to the f vapor confined therein, thereby causing an increase in the tension of the vapor, and overcoming the tension of. the spring 13, and forcing the wall 3 outward, which movement of the wall is transmitted through the screw-'rods 43, 43', to the yoke 34, thereby rocking the yoke outward, and translever arm 48wh1ch in ig. 6 would be an upward movement, resulting in a greater or less closure of the damper-,50, and openlng of the check damper 51. This checks the consumption ofv fuel in the furnace so as to reduce the amount'of lheat furnished to the room in which the regulator is located.

Should the temperature 1n the room fall,

the .heat of the vapor within the vessel is.

quickly conducted through the thin walls of the expansible and colla sible vessel tothe outside atmosphere, an this loss of heat reduces the tension of the vapor inside of the vessel, `so that the spring 13 overcomes the same and collapses .the vessel, thereby causing lever 48 to fall', thus closing the check damper 51 and oper1ing the draft;l damper 50, kthereby allowin an increase in, the combustion of fuel', wit a correspond-f 'ing increase of heat in the room in which the regulator is located.' rElie counter oise weights 56, 56,1are so .adjusted on the ever` 52 that there will be slightly more' weight on the right-hand end, as seen in Fig.'`- 6,

decrease in tension o t -withln saldvessel. y

While as herein illustrated, I have shown l ments of expansion and collapse of the expansible and collapsible vessel, it is desirable that such movements should correspond as nearly as possible to the increased or deliquid within the vessel; ever, as the walls of the vesselI andthe spring 13 are resilient, the expansion on, increase of tension of the va or will be morer than on theleft-hand end. In these movei or less aected by the resi 'ency oftheexing this resiliency of the 'expansible 'and collapsible wall 1 and of the spring 13that the spring 29 is employed, lactmg'on vthe eX- pansible'and collapsible vessel through the lever 27 and the yoke 34. If the parts are suitably adjusted, the knife-edge bar' 38 lshould be approximately paralle withV the y. .Y wall 3`of theexpansible and-.collapsible ve/si sel when thev index-finger 70"po'ints to '70 on the index-card iIf nw',. a Arise in temperature occurs, the increased tension of. the

vapor within the expansible and collapsible vessel acts through the screw rods 43 to rock the yoke 34 outward, but this movement is more or less resisted by the resiliency of the spring 13. Thenutward movement of the yoke 34, however, rocks the bar 38 from its position parallel l lthe expansible and llapsible vessel, and the tension of the spring 29 lis therefore added to that of -the'vapor within the 'expansible and collapsible vessel, tending to rock the yoke outward, and the tension of this spring 29 being properly adjusted, `1t acts to neutralize the resiliency of the spring 13, so that the outward movement of the yoke is proportional to the increase in tension of the vapor within the expansible and collapsible vessel. Conversely, 1f there is a fall 1n temperature, resulting in a collapse of the expansibleand collapsible vessel, the collapse of the vessel is more or less resisted with the end plate 3 of by the resiliencylof the' walls 1 of sadvessel. But the initial collapse in movement rocks the knife-edge 39 downward, throwing the bar 38 out of parallel with the head 3 of the ex ansibl and collapsible vessel, whereupon the tension of the spring 29 acts in opposition to, and neutralizes the resiliency of, the walls 1 of the ex ansible .and

vessel is approximatel roportional tothe e vapors confined.

' collapsible vessel, so that the co lapse of the my device as'applied to controlling thel temperature in a room, it will beunderstood that the same may-be employed in controlling a great variety of devices, as steam lor -gas 70 creased tension of the vapors of the volatile Inasmuch, hoW-" I valves, oi: in operating' hot-air registers and collapsible vessel uponwhich the accuracy o f movement of the parts depends, is, (by reason of the manner of its support through the medium of the arms 9, 9, of small mass, and its connection to the head-piece 10 through the hollow insulating studs or posts 12), insulated for all practical purposes from' the other parts of the structure. This is im. portant in Securing delicacy and promptness.

, of operation of the device, since if the same to the delicacy were not thus insulated, the operations of the device would be much more sluggish, and hence less effective in securing prompt control of the temperature. It will also be observed that by making the walls of the expansible and collapsible vessel of very thin metal, and of great heat conductivity, which walls, however, present a large surface to the airor other medium, there is provided means for the readytransmission'of heat from the air or other medium'to'the vapor within the vessel, andthis also contributes and prompt operation of the device as a whole.

n While for the purpose of illustrating the invention, I have thus described one embodiment thereof in' detaihit will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art that there `may be various modifications in the proportion andarrangement of parts, and

that other forms of tension devices than the` specific ones shown and described may be employed, without departing from the spirit of my invention, andfthe claims appended are designed to include all such modifications.

What is claimed ist- 1. In a temperature regulator, the combi-i nation of a resilient eXpansible and collapsible vessel, a resilient tension device normally placing said vesselunder tension,

means for automatically applying power to said tension device when said vessel expands orl contracts from a predetermined volume, and .means operated by said vessel on expans'ion or contraction to control the source of heat.

2.- In a temperatureregulator, the combination of an expansible and collapsible veslsel, a head-piece carried thereby but insulated therefrom, anadjustable abutment, a spring reacting-between said headieee and said abutment, means for automatically applying power .to saidv spring when said .vessel expands or contracts from a predetermined vo ume, and means operated by said vessel on .expansion or contraction to controlethe source of heat. 3. In a temperature regulator, thel combination of an expansible and collapsible vesthe resiliency of said wa temperature.

device normally placing said vessel under compression, meansfor automatically applying power to. saidtension device when said vessel, expands or contracts from a prede-v termined volume, and means operated by said vesselon ex ansion or collapse to control, the source o heat.4

4.- In a temperature regulator, the combination of an expansible and collapsible vessel having resil-ient walls and inclosing a thermo-sensitive fluid, a resilient tension device normally holding said vessel under com pression, and means actinglin opposition to -s on. a'decrease 'in the temperature of said'fiuid below a predetermined temperature' for .which the device is set, said means also acting .in oppositionA to said tension devi'ce on an increase in the temperature of said uid above saidv "5. In a temperature regulator, the combination of an expansible 'and collapsible vessel, a spring lreacting between said vessel and a suitable abutment and tending ito compress.

said vessel, and a second ,spring adapted to apply power to said first-named s ring when *Y said vessel expands or contracts rom a predetermined volume; A I 6. In a temperature-regulator, the combination'of an expansible and collapsible ves 'sel having resilient walls and inclosing a thermo-sensitive fluid, .a tension device "normally tending to compress said vessel, a rocking element in lo erative relation with said vessel, whereby he movements of eX- pansion or contraction of'said vessel act to rock said element,'and a spring in operative relation with said rocking element and acting to assist in the rocking thereof upon the expansion orcontraction of said vessel.

7. In a temperature regulator, the combination of a support, a corrugated collapsible and expansible vessel having one end fast to said support, a head piece carried by the opl osite and movable end of said vessel and insulated therefrom, a tension device lnormally applying pressure to said vessel through said head piece, a rockin member mounted on said support, adjusta le power transmitting means between said head piece and said rocking member and spring-operated means for applying force to said member to assist in the rocking thereof upon the expansion or contraction ofl said vessel.v

8. In a temperature regulator, the combination 'of an expansible and collapsible vessel having one end stationary and the -opposite end movable, a oke member adaptedn to be tilted by the co lapse 4and expansion of saidvessel, said yoke member having a pivot support and lmiferedge supports in 1 alinement with each-other, means fortransmitting power from said vessel to said yoke to rock the same, and means acting through viso one.l of said vknife-,edge supportsto' apply to be tilted by thecollapse and expansionl of said vessel, adjustable 'powertransmit Y lting means between Said vessel and said 10 yoke, fa tens1on device normally applying` pressurevtov said vessel, means for regulating said tension device, a spring for applying power through said yoke to said tension de# vce when said vesselexpands or contracts from a predetermined volume, and means power as described.

In testimony ,whereof I have slgned this specification inthe presence of two subscribl WESTON M'. FULTON.

ing witnesses.

Witnesses:

J oHN I. BROWN, MARGARET CooMEs.

15 vconnected with said yoke for transmitting 

